


Sakura

by pizZiCcato



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, I don't even know what this is supposed to be, I have no idea how to tag, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Past life, Reincarnation, Sakura (Cherry Blossoms), Spirit!Atsushi, not really angst in my opinion but eh, unedited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 09:52:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4783010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pizZiCcato/pseuds/pizZiCcato
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Atsushi hasn't seen a single cherry blossom on his tree for so long. He wondered if he'd ever see the blossoms in bloom ever again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sakura

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for clicking on this.  
> I finished this some time ago, but couldn't bring myself to post it. Then I decided to post it today before I can convince myself otherwise.  
> I tried to find the mistakes in this thing myself, but there's only so much one can do without other people's help, so there might be some stuff I'd missed.
> 
> Let's proceed with the story.

In the middle of the forest, right in the middle of a mountain, is a cherry tree.

It is a large tree, much larger than others. People call it the Giant Sakura. Its flowers haven’t bloomed in centuries, according to the locals. When asked why, they’d say that the tree’s spirit is sad and is waiting.

This is the story of that spirit, and why the blossoms don’t bloom anymore.

***

_Nobody came today_ , Atsushi thought. He absently swung his legs where he was perched on his tree. Yes, his tree. It’s his tree and nobody is allowed to disturb him and it.

Atsushi caught the sound of leaves rustling in the distance, but he ignored it. That is, until he realized that it was approaching his tree.

He got on his feet, still on the same branch he was sitting on, and squinted to make out the source of the sound. After a moment of searching, he finally found it. Well, not exactly an ‘it’.

It was a man. He had long black hair which hid the left part of his face. He was wearing a plain black yukata and carrying a book. He didn’t really look like a threat, but Atsushi stayed alert.

That man approached Atsushi’s tree and looked up in awe at its size. He then smiled and sat leaning against the tree. He opened his book and started reading.

Atsushi stared at him silently, a little confused. Had this man only come here to read? Strange. Slowly, Atsushi climbed down the tree, silent as a mouse, and stopped at the lowest branch nearest to his visitor. He carefully wrapped his legs around the branch and swung himself so he was hanging upside down right next to the strange man. He then stared at the book in his hands. “What are you reading?”

That man jumped in surprise. His book flew into the air. Atsushi caught it easily and jumped off his tree. When Atsushi looked back, that man was staring at him with wide eyes. “You’re… big.”

Atsushi raised his brows. “You’re small,” he replied. Yeah, that man barely reached Atsushi’s shoulders, but most of it was because Atsushi really was big. Bigger than average, at least.

That man blinked away some of his initial surprise. “Who are you?” he asked.

“Atsushi. Who are you? What do you want with my tree?” Atsushi asked back, absently turning the book over in his hands.

“Tatsuya,” he replied and frowned, “Your tree? What are you, this tree’s spirit?”

Atsushi scowled. “I don’t care what you say, this is my tree. Now leave.”

Tatsuya tilted his head and gave Atsushi a small smile. “Why can’t I read here? I won’t disturb you, I promise.”

Atsushi frowned. “Why does it have to be my tree?”

“Your tree is sturdy. The blossoms are pretty. The colors are beautiful. I love cherry blossoms.” Tatsuya shrugged, still smiling.

_But do you see any of the blossoms you call pretty on this tree?_ Atsushi himself hadn’t seen even the smallest blossom on his tree in ages, but he didn’t say it. “Whatever,” he said instead. He tossed the book in his hand to its rightful owner.

Tatsuya caught the book with a laugh. “Thank you.”

Atsushi snorted and climbed back up the tree. He only stopped when he got to the highest branch, but he made sure to keep Tatsuya in his field of sight because he didn’t trust him. But Tatsuya stuck to his words and didn’t disturb Atsushi, silently reading without moving an inch.

Tatsuya only moved when it started to get dark. He closed his book and stood, looking up the tree. He smiled at Atsushi when he found him. “Thank you for letting me stay here and read, Atsushi.”

Atsushi didn’t say anything. Tatsuya’s smile didn’t waver in the slightest.

 

Tatsuya came again the next day. And the next. And the next. Atsushi had tried to make him leave multiple times, but all his efforts were only met with a smile and an excuse, so on the fifth day, Atsushi gave up. Tatsuya’s smile when he noticed was strangely self-satisfied.

On the seventh day, Tatsuya closed his book when it started to get dark, but he stayed sitting where he was. “Atsushi,” he called, “Are you lonely?”

Atsushi stared at Tatsuya. “Not really. What made you think so?” To be honest, Atsushi gets lonely too sometimes, but he can’t really do anything about it. After all, he was bound to his tree.

Tatsuya hummed softly. “So even spirits can get lonely,” he said.

Atsushi frowned. “You’re annoying. How can you even say for sure that I’m lonely?”

Tatsuya lowered his face. “Believe me, Atsushi, I know what ‘loneliness’ is like.”

Atsushi wanted to know what kind of face Tatsuya was making at that moment.

 

On the ninth day, Atsushi approached Tatsuya.

He climbed down his tree and hung upside down next to Tatsuya again. He noticed that it’s the same branch as the first day and Tatsuya was sitting in the same spot he had sat on the first day.

Tatsuya chuckled when he noticed Atsushi hanging next to him. Atsushi ignored him and stared at the book Tatsuya was reading.

“Can you read, Atsushi?” Tatsuya asked when he saw the amount of attention Atsushi placed on his book.

Atsushi stayed silent for a moment. “I don’t need to.”

Tatsuya chuckled again. “Do you want me to teach you how to read?”

Atsushi didn’t reply. Tatsuya didn’t really need it anyway.

 

On the twelfth day, Tatsuya brought something other than his book with him.

They were a little round in shape and slightly pink in color. A cherry leaf was wrapped on the outside of each of them.

“These are called ‘Sakura Mochi’,” Tatsuya explained, chuckling slightly at the way Atsushi was examining them, “They taste sweet. Try one.”

Atsushi eyed Tatsuya suspiciously for a moment, but only received an innocent smile in return, so after a moment, Atsushi took one mochi.

Tatsuya openly laughed at the face Atsushi made right after tasting it. Atsushi absently noted that Tatsuya’s laugh is one of the best things he has ever heard.

The next day, Atsushi found some budding cherry blossoms on his tree. He hoped Tatsuya didn’t notice.

 

On the sixteenth day, the previously budding cherry blossoms had bloomed fully, more beautiful than Atsushi remembered seeing them.

Tatsuya had smiled so brightly Atsushi thought he was glowing. Atsushi decided that he liked Tatsuya’s smiles.

 

On the twentieth day, Atsushi asked Tatsuya, “Why do you always hide your face?”

Tatsuya immediately reached up to make sure that his hair was still hiding the left side of his face. “My left eye is very sensitive to light,” he said shortly. He changed the topic before Atsushi could comment on the strange excuse.

On the twenty-third day, Atsushi found the answer to his question.

Tatsuya had fallen asleep in the middle of reading. Curiosity made Atsushi study this strange man who wouldn’t leave him alone. Now that he looked closer, he noticed that Tatsuya is actually quite pretty. But he also saw some signs that Tatsuya hadn’t been sleeping well. His skin is sickly pale and there seemed to be dark circles under his eyes. Well, at least there’s a dark circle under Tatsuya’s right eye. He didn’t know about the other one.

The longer Atsushi stared at Tatsuya, the more his curiosity grows. It was starting to get on his nerves. So after a moment of hesitation, Atsushi reached out and brushed Tatsuya’s hair out of his face, taking care not to wake him.

Oh, there’s a large scar on his face.

Atsushi doesn’t know much about scars, but he was quite sure that the one on Tatsuya’s face must’ve been caused by a sharp object. Atsushi wanted to know how Tatsuya got this scar, but it seemed to be a sensitive topic for Tatsuya.

Atsushi slowly rearranged Tatsuya’s hair to hide his face. If Tatsuya doesn’t want to talk about it, Atsushi won’t force him to.

 

On the twenty-fifth day, Tatsuya asked, “Atsushi, how long do your blossoms stay in bloom?”

Atsushi stayed silent as he thought. Truth be told, the blossoms only bloomed when Atsushi is in a good mood and it stays long enough for the blossoms to started budding, but telling Tatsuya this might make the other male think that Atsushi liked his company (which Atsushi will forever deny), so he settled with a shrug and, “As long as I want them to.”

Tatsuya gave Atsushi a grin. “The villagers said your tree hasn’t blossomed in so many years they lost count. Does that mean I’m lucky to have been able to see it so soon?”

Atsushi scoffed, pointedly avoiding Tatsuya’s gaze. “Whatever.”

Tatsuya laughed.

 

On the thirtieth day, Atsushi asked again, “What is your reason for moving into the area?”

Tatsuya looked like he wanted to pretend that he didn’t know what Atsushi was talking about, but he seemed to change his mind when he noticed Atsushi’s look. “So you know I’m not from around here.”

Atsushi swung his legs from where he was sitting on a low branch. “Of course I know. If you were from around here, you would’ve known to stay away from my tree.”

Tatsuya exhaled a soft laugh. “Yeah, everyone told me to stay away, but I was curious about the cherry tree that never blooms. Now it’s in full bloom and I’m the only one to see it. I feel honored.”

Atsushi snorted. “It has nothing to do with you. Now tell me why you moved here.”

Tatsuya was silent for a moment. Right when Atsushi thought Tatsuya wouldn’t answer, he did. “Well… It’s a long story, but to put it simply, I made the wrong people angry and now they want me dead, so I have to keep moving around.” Tatsuya looked up at Atsushi with a smile.

_How can you say that while smiling? Weirdo_ , Atsushi didn’t say. Instead, he said, “That sounds stupid.”

Another laugh from Tatsuya. “It is.”

Later that night, long after Tatsuya had left, Atsushi thought deeper into Tatsuya’s words. Tatsuya is being hunted. Does that mean he has to keep moving from place to place?

Doesn’t that mean he’s going to leave Atsushi someday? Heck, he might even just disappear tomorrow.

Atsushi didn’t like the idea of that. Tatsuya had forced his way into Atsushi’s life, he can’t just leave like that.

 

On the thirty-first day, Atsushi sat with Tatsuya for the first time.

Tatsuya looked surprised, but he only raised his brow silently without commenting. Later, when Tatsuya thought Atsushi wasn’t looking, he secretively smiled to himself.

Atsushi saw that, of course. His chest felt fluttery for some reason.

“Tatsuya,” Atsushi called, absently noting that it was the first time he said Tatsuya’s name, “You won’t leave without saying anything, right?”

Tatsuya looked up from his book and stared at Atsushi. After a long moment of silence, Tatsuya smiled. “Of course not, Atsushi. I will never leave my friend without a proper goodbye.”

For the first time in years, Atsushi smiled, because Tatsuya just called Atsushi his friend.

 

On the fortieth day, Tatsuya didn’t show up.

Some of the flowers on Atsushi’s tree withered. Atsushi paid them no mind.

There was still no sign of Tatsuya the next day. And the next. And the next. More and more of Atsushi’s blossoms withered, but he still paid them no mind. He didn’t know what to think about this, because Tatsuya said he wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye, but where is he now?

 

On the forty-ninth day, at midnight, Tatsuya finally showed up.

He looked like he might collapse on Atsushi’s tree, but he managed to sit, though not without lots of painful winces. Atsushi immediately jumped off his tree and landed in front of Tatsuya. “Tatsuya, what happened? You didn’t come here for nine days.”

Tatsuya exhaled a short laugh. “Were you worried, Atsushi?”

“No,” Atsushi said. He studied Tatsuya’s face. Atsushi wasn’t sure if it’s just his imagination, but Tatsuya seemed even paler than usual. Maybe that’s because of the poor lighting.

Pain flashed on Tatsuya’s face again, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. Atsushi frowned. “Are you alright? You seem pale.”

Tatsuya brushed off his concern. “I’m fine, Atsushi. Just a little tired. I ran all the way here, after all.”

Atsushi’s frown deepened, clearly not buying it. “You don’t look fine. Why are you here so late anyways? You should be resting at home.”

“Friends can see each other at any time they want to,” Tatsuya replied. He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. “Were you worried, Atsushi?” he repeated his earlier question. He sounded a little tired.

Atsushi sighed. There’s really no point in lying. “Yes, of course I was worried. You didn’t show up for days, what am I supposed to think? I know you said you wouldn’t leave without saying anything, but still…”

Tatsuya’s following laugh was cut off short by a hiss of pain, but he quickly put on his usual smile. “Sorry.”

Atsushi frowned again. He immediately started patting Tatsuya’s body down. “You’re definitely not fine,” he said.

Tatsuya opened his mouth, about to reply, when Atsushi prodded at his legs and he hissed in pain again. “Okay, I’m not exactly fine, but you don’t have to worry.”

Atsushi completely ignored Tatsuya’s words and pulled Tatsuya’s legs from under his yukata’s folds. His head started spinning immediately, eyes widening. Atsushi had never seen so much blood.

Tatsuya let out a pained laugh at Atsushi’s reaction. “They found me,” he said by way of explanation.

Atsushi barely registered those words in his head. He was too stunned by the condition of Tatsuya’s legs. They were covered in so much blood and the patches of visible skin were blackened, as if they had been burned. Atsushi had a feeling that it wasn’t the only thing that happened to Tatsuya. It’s really a wonder how he could even stand on those legs.

Atsushi pulled Tatsuya’s yukata over his legs again, blinking hard. He recomposed himself and looked at Tatsuya. “You should’ve gone to find help. How did you even manage to make it here without dying?”

Tatsuya laughed again. “I wanted to see you. That’s all the reason I need to keep moving.”

Those words made Atsushi’s chest hurt. “You should’ve left this area before those people found you.”

Tatsuya inhaled deeply and winced. “I’ve run away for long enough, Atsushi. It’s really tiring. I’ve had enough.”

Atsushi didn’t really know what to say to that, so he said nothing. He slowly sat on the ground next to Tatsuya. Atsushi’s eyes found the trail of blood he had somehow missed all this time. “Are you going to die?” he asked almost absently.

Tatsuya pulled at the hem of his yukata to examine his wounds’ condition. “It seems so,” he said, throwing his yukata back over his legs. He then leaned back against the tree and looked at Atsushi. “Thank you for accompanying me all this time.” Tatsuya sounded even more tired than before.

Atsushi’s eyes followed a flower from his tree as it floated down slowly. His blossoms are starting to wither again. “You didn’t really give me any choice.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Atsushi saw Tatsuya smile. “You’re much bigger than me, Atsushi. If you really want to, you could’ve physically made me leave.”

Yeah, he could’ve done that, but he didn’t. Atsushi himself wondered why. “I didn’t want to.”

Tatsuya laughed again, this time not so pained.

A moment of silence passed between them, during which more and more of Atsushi’s blossoms withered. Atsushi was the one to break it. “Does it hurt?”

Tatsuya closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. “Not really. I think the nerves on my legs are fried,” he said.

Atsushi had no idea what that meant, he only knew that Tatsuya had lost too much blood to stay alive for long.

“Atsushi,” Tatsuya called, “Can I take a short nap here? It won’t be long, I promise. Just wake me up later. You’ll let me, right?” This time, Tatsuya sounded like he was about to fall asleep at any moment.

The two of them definitely knew that if Tatsuya were to fall asleep, he most probably won’t wake up again. They both knew that, but neither of them seemed willing to acknowledge it. “Sure,” Atsushi said.

Tatsuya smiled, content. “Thank you, Atsushi,” he whispered. Those were the last words he said before silence hung over them again.

Atsushi counted Tatsuya’s breaths that slowed with each inhale. His eyes still followed the falling cherry blossoms, unable to look at Tatsuya. He was scared of what he would see. He was scared to see Tatsuya dying.

As the last of Atsushi’s blossoms touched the ground, Tatsuya exhaled his last breath.

 

Atsushi hasn’t seen a single flower bud on his tree in so long. He doesn’t even know how long it has been, but it feels like centuries had passed since he last saw his tree in full blossom.

It feels like centuries had passed since Tatsuya died.

Atsushi still remembered everything from that night. He remembered how pale Tatsuya looked. He remembered how much blood there was. He remembered how Tatsuya had breathed like it hurt just to do that.

He remembered the smile that was still on Tatsuya’s face long after he had stopped breathing.

Atsushi knew that Tatsuya rarely ever stopped smiling, but really, dying with a smile is just weird.

Atsushi sighed and shut his eyes. _Today, too, nobody came_. He started swinging his legs absently.

There was the rustling of leaves in the distance.

Atsushi’s eyes flew open immediately and he jumped to his feet. He almost slipped, but he didn’t care. It’s been a really long time since he last heard it, but the footsteps that followed were familiar. Atsushi will never mistake them for anything, because he had heard them every day for thirty-nine days straight.

Atsushi stood on his tree, knees bent slightly. The footsteps are getting closer. When he saw the person approaching, Atsushi felt like he might cry in happiness.

His hair is shorter now, but it still hides the left half of his face. His clothes are different, Atsushi didn’t even know what they’re called, but they’re still mostly black.

Most importantly, the smile that Atsushi had missed for so long is still on his face.

_Tatsuya is back._

Atsushi couldn’t even move for a moment, during which Tatsuya closed the distance between him and Atsushi’s tree. He looked up at the tree with the same gaze from back then, smile widening.

Before Atsushi knew what he was doing, his legs were already moving and he sprung off the branch. If his aim were off, even if it were only a few inches, he would’ve landed on Tatsuya, but he didn’t, so he didn’t care.

Tatsuya gasped and took three steps away from Atsushi, eyes wide. Atsushi didn’t even register that, because _Tatsuya is back_ and that’s all that matters. But he didn’t know what to do or say next, so he just stared.

For a moment, both of them were silent and still. Tatsuya was the one to speak first. “You’re… big.”

Atsushi didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry at that, because that’s what Tatsuya said the first time they met back then. But he only said, “You’re small.”

Tatsuya laughed. It’s still one of the best sounds Atsushi had ever heard. He stretched out his right hand. “I’m Tatsuya.”

There was a sinking feeling in Atsushi’s stomach when he heard that. Doesn’t Tatsuya remember? Maybe he should’ve expected that, but it’s still a little disappointing.

As Atsushi tried to suppress his disappointment, he grasped Tatsuya’s hand in his own. “Atsushi.”

Tatsuya smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Atsushi.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Atsushi’s own lips. “It’s nice to meet you again, Tatsuya.”

Atsushi laughed slightly at Tatsuya’s look of confusion. Yeah, it doesn’t matter. He may be a little different, he may not remember, but Tatsuya is still Tatsuya and that’s all that matters.

A single tear rolled down Atsushi’s cheek. “Welcome back, Tatsuya.”

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this on paper. Our teacher asked us to write a short story so I wrote this.  
> Yes, I wrote shounen-ai for my school project. No, I don't regret it.
> 
> I had no idea what I'm doing half of the time I was writing this. This thing doesn't make sense.
> 
> I personally think that this version is much better than the one I submitted to my teacher, but it's still weird.
> 
> Today is 9/12. Does anyone know what that means?  
> No?  
> Okay.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr:  
> http://pizziccato.tumblr.com/  
> I didn't start using this thing until recently so I still need to figure out how things work.
> 
> Actually, it'd be easier to find me on Twitter:  
> @pizZiCcato
> 
> Edit (9/13): I just found out from my friend that 9/12 is Suzumura Kenichi's birthday.  
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUZUKEN


End file.
